The FBI was tracking Donovan as part of a months-long counterintelligence operation code-named “NorthernNight.” Internal bureau reports described her as a pseudonymous foot soldier in an army of Kremlin-led trolls seeking to undermine America’s democratic institutions.

Her first articles as a freelancer for CounterPunch and at least 10 other online publications weren’t especially political. As the 2016 presidential election heated up, Donovan’s message shifted. Increasingly, she seemed to be doing the Kremlin’s bidding by stoking discontent toward Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and touting WikiLeaks, which U.S. officials say was a tool of Russia’s broad influence operation to affect the presidential race.

“There’s no denying the emails that Julian Assange has picked up from inside the Democratic Party are real,” she wrote in August 2016 for a website called We Are Change. “The emails have exposed Hillary Clinton in a major way — and almost no one is reporting on it.”

SLAVA UKRAYINI ! HEROYAM SLAVA!!!!Слава Украине! Слава героям слава!Слава Україні! Слава героям! translated as: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!!! is a Ukrainian greeting slogan being used now all over Ukraine to signify support for a free independent Ukraine

Looks like they are being rewarded !It does illustrate the importance( to Russia) being placed on spewing garbage messages of the Kremlin !One would have thought that after all the direct exposure over last few years it would have "disappeared" a little !

Russian troll factory expands its work space threefold in 2018

The infamous Russian troll factory also known as Internet Research Agency (IRA) has been reportedly run by Putin’s ally Yevgeny Prigozhin in the Russian city of Saint-Petersburg. Fow years, the agency has been pushing pro-Russian narratives to promote the Kremlin’s interests in the world attempting to influence domestic policy and public opinion in the E.U., U.S.A., Ukraine, and other countries, or just supporting opposite extreme opinions to sow chaos in target countries. To achieve its goals, the troll factory employed fake accounts registered on major social networks, online media sites, and on video hosting services. And now it looks like the factory is far from set to be closed in the New Year and its employees would even have better working conditions in 2018

SLAVA UKRAYINI ! HEROYAM SLAVA!!!!Слава Украине! Слава героям слава!Слава Україні! Слава героям! translated as: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!!! is a Ukrainian greeting slogan being used now all over Ukraine to signify support for a free independent Ukraine

This thread has proven very useful in understanding how Russia has sort to influence and disrupt the world at large. It has taken time for the level of threat to be recognised.

A list of about 1,000 Lithuanian civic activists had been recently published on a Russian website. Among those listed, there were many who fight Kremlin propaganda. In retaliation, the patriotic Lithuanian activists launched their own online database of “Russian trolls” in Lithuania.hat threat to be recognised.

The Ukrainian Myrotvorets Center which lists online tens of thousands of those “whose actions have signs of crimes against the national security of Ukraine, peace, human security, and the international law” has welcomed the “Lithuanian nationalists” (as they were labeled in a quoted report by a Russian propaganda media outlet) in regard to launching the Vatnikas project and offered its help.

SLAVA UKRAYINI ! HEROYAM SLAVA!!!!Слава Украине! Слава героям слава!Слава Україні! Слава героям! translated as: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!!! is a Ukrainian greeting slogan being used now all over Ukraine to signify support for a free independent Ukraine

“Few in the West understand,” the Russian commentator writes, “what the world is dealing with in the form of the Putin regime and its information arm;” and because of that, they commit “two principled and fatal” mistakes reflecting their willingness to take the claims of Moscow’s representatives at face value.

Most people in the West make two fatal mistakes about Moscow ‘media,’

“In Putin’s Russia,” however, “there is no such ideology and no image of the future. There are not and cannot be any books entitled ‘Putinism.’ The Putin media simply destroys the foundations of all norms, moral, legal and scientific. It simply sows hatred, lies, crudities and provocations.”

SLAVA UKRAYINI ! HEROYAM SLAVA!!!!Слава Украине! Слава героям слава!Слава Україні! Слава героям! translated as: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!!! is a Ukrainian greeting slogan being used now all over Ukraine to signify support for a free independent Ukraine

“Few in the West understand,” the Russian commentator writes, “what the world is dealing with in the form of the Putin regime and its information arm;” and because of that, they commit “two principled and fatal” mistakes reflecting their willingness to take the claims of Moscow’s representatives at face value.

Most people in the West make two fatal mistakes about Moscow ‘media,’

“In Putin’s Russia,” however, “there is no such ideology and no image of the future. There are not and cannot be any books entitled ‘Putinism.’ The Putin media simply destroys the foundations of all norms, moral, legal and scientific. It simply sows hatred, lies, crudities and provocations.”

Certainly this is true for the LOST country of Ukraine or should I say "the Ukraine"? Ukraine and it's supporters are quite happy to argue about articles, whereas is the future is just some kind of oblivion. Don't worry, we are doing quite well under the massive Putin misinformation campaign. While we are all massively oppressed here in Russia, we continue to look forward to the continuing progress here. Maybe there will even be a day when the Ukrainian mensheviks lose their sway and the majority can get back to peace with Russia.

Certainly this is true for the LOST country of Ukraine or should I say "the Ukraine"? Ukraine and it's supporters are quite happy to argue about articles, whereas is the future is just some kind of oblivion. Don't worry, we are doing quite well under the massive Putin misinformation campaign. While we are all massively oppressed here in Russia, we continue to look forward to the continuing progress here. Maybe there will even be a day when the Ukrainian mensheviks lose their sway and the majority can get back to peace with Russia.

This is you Bounder-

Quote

1. The Honeymoon StageThe first stage of culture shock is often overwhelmingly positive during which travelers become infatuated with the language, people and food in their new surroundings. At this stage, the trip or move seems like the greatest decision ever made, an exciting adventure to stay on forever.

The importance of understanding how Russia is influencing( & distorting) so many cannot be underestimated --or ignored.The detail here- a case study example- is very interesting to follow.

Russia’s Full Spectrum PropagandaA case study in how Russia’s propaganda machine works

The Russian government’s propaganda and influence operations use a full spectrum model which spans social and traditional media.

Some of the channels it uses are overt and official; others are covert and claim to be independent. They all work together to create the appearance of multiple voices and points of view, masking a coordinated approach

SLAVA UKRAYINI ! HEROYAM SLAVA!!!!Слава Украине! Слава героям слава!Слава Україні! Слава героям! translated as: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!!! is a Ukrainian greeting slogan being used now all over Ukraine to signify support for a free independent Ukraine

Over the life of this thread a lot has been linked here that helps the understanding of the depth and reach of state sponsored propaganda -this article focuses on the philosophy of Russian propaganda.The astonishing reach and acceptance achieved in the US clearly illustrates how dangerous -- and effective it has( and is) been.

The shield and sword of Kremlin propaganda

The concept of “informational sovereignty” epitomizes the double standards of the Russian approach – “saving its own sovereignty” at the cost of the sovereignty of other states, by interfering in their internal affairs.

This means that sovereignty as such is not a value for Russia. Its “sword and shield” is all about a one-sided justification of interferences playing into the interests of one state that does not want to abide by international law and human rights standards – the Russian Federation.

SLAVA UKRAYINI ! HEROYAM SLAVA!!!!Слава Украине! Слава героям слава!Слава Україні! Слава героям! translated as: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!!! is a Ukrainian greeting slogan being used now all over Ukraine to signify support for a free independent Ukraine

This link could have been posted in the MH 17 thread -- but I think nearly everyone ( with a brain) understands that the Russians were responsible for shooting down that aircraft and the murder of 298 innocent people.

The anatomy of the Russian disinformation attempts that are designed to create confusion and alternative potential explanations should be of interest to us all.Over the last 4 years there has become a much greater understanding of the Russian methodology and effectiveness of sowing havoc in the media -- and the amazing acceptance by some of the ridiculous . At one time much of this would have simply been dismissed -- but-- modern media facillitates the spread of of "fake" and blatantly false stories.

In the Russians case here-- they go to some effort to create a lie with legs.Of note- Putin himself used this explanation in interviews.

"A mysterious Twitter persona launched one of the most enduring Moscow-friendly hoaxes of the MH17 airline tragedy. We found the ex-convict behind the lie."

Catch Carlos If You Can

On July 17, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down over territory held by Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. Immediately after the tragedy, @spainbuca purported to be watching the events unfold from an air-traffic control tower at Kyiv's Boryspil Airport. It posted a string of dramatic claims suggesting Ukraine had shot down the plane and was attempting a cover-up.

One claim in particular ricocheted across Russian state media and Twitter: that two Ukrainian fighter jets had flown close to the Boeing 777 shortly before it disappeared from the radar.

But red flags about @spainbuca's credibility emerged quickly as well. Why was a Spanish air-traffic controller working in Kyiv? Where were the reports corroborating his claims? Why was he back in Ukraine after telling RT Spanish that he'd fled the country?

No evidence ever emerged that such a Spanish air-traffic controller actually worked at Boryspil, and @spainbuca was suspended by Twitter shortly after its MH17 tweets. Journalists and social-media users widely dismissed "Carlos" as a ruse. Still, some conspiracy theorists insisted his story was real and that he had either been targeted by Western intelligence services or gone into hiding. Others claimed he was part of the notorious Russian troll farm eventually indicted in the United States for alleged meddling in U.S. elections. One Ukrainian official has suggested the Carlos persona was a Russian intelligence operation.

The claims by Carlos about MH17 and his professional background were indeed a hoax.

SLAVA UKRAYINI ! HEROYAM SLAVA!!!!Слава Украине! Слава героям слава!Слава Україні! Слава героям! translated as: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!!! is a Ukrainian greeting slogan being used now all over Ukraine to signify support for a free independent Ukraine

SLAVA UKRAYINI ! HEROYAM SLAVA!!!!Слава Украине! Слава героям слава!Слава Україні! Слава героям! translated as: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!!! is a Ukrainian greeting slogan being used now all over Ukraine to signify support for a free independent Ukraine

Often enough( all to often) we see these themes offered by the pro-Rus posters even here on this forum.A third of all news on top Russian TV channels is dedicated to Ukraine, and more than 90% of references are negative. In the spotlight of Russian mass media are Ukrainian state institutions, which, according to the Russian media, represent a radical minority

Thirty percent of the news on Russian TV is dedicated to Ukraine

HWAG has analyzed the news of the top Russian channels over the past three years and presented six main narratives of Russian propaganda about Ukraine. 33% of all references to Ukraine are related to the thesis that there is a civil war in Ukraine. “Within this narrative, a lot is communicated about the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The focus is on the delegitimization of the Armed Forces. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are being delegitimized by accusations that it commits crimes against the civilian population, against humanity. Allegedly, the Armed Forces suffer huge losses and are the source of ceasefire violations”, explained Ruslan Kavatsiuk, an analyst of Hybrid Warfare Analytical Group, advisor to the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.

In the second narrative, Russian propaganda presents Ukraine as “a failed state”. Russian media reinforce this thesis by delegitimizing public authorities. In 15% of all references to Ukraine, Russian propaganda highlights the diverse Russia assistance to Donbas. “This is one of the evidence of how the Russian authorities are trying to justify for their own population, on the one hand, why the Crimea was taken to the “Russian world”, and Donbas was not. On the other hand, the level of tension in Donbas itself is decreasing because the local population living there also wants to understand the answer to this question,” said Ruslan Kavatsiuk.

Among the other narratives of Russian propaganda is the coverage of Ukraine as a state in which Russophobia prevails, the Russian-speaking population is being persecuted, and the radical and “fascist” minority is in power. In six percent of the news, Russian mass media use the thesis that Ukraine is a puppet state controlled by the West. “If Ukraine, for example, has gained visa-free regime, it’s because the West is flirting with Ukraine. If the West has given nothing to Ukraine – it means that the West is punishing its puppet Ukraine. This is the carrot and the stick used by the West to rule Ukraine”, Ruslan Kavatsiuk said.

In addition to the fact that Russian mass media cover Ukraine only from the negative side, they often present false information. “Stop Fake” has found more than 2 thousand fake news in the Russian media over the past 4 years. “If you have been wondering which Russian media organizations are involved in the fake news production, the answer is all or almost all, briefly speaking. It does not make any difference if the organizations are state-owned or are in private ownership. In Russian realities, there is no difference, because, de facto, the information flow, the news cycle is regulated from the center”, – said Evhen Fedchenko, co-founder of “StopFake”.

SLAVA UKRAYINI ! HEROYAM SLAVA!!!!Слава Украине! Слава героям слава!Слава Україні! Слава героям! translated as: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!!! is a Ukrainian greeting slogan being used now all over Ukraine to signify support for a free independent Ukraine

It is interesting how much prominence is given in Russian media to promoting the Kremlin narrative -it amounts to brainwashing the Russian people.

A third of Moscow TV news is about Ukraine, and 90% of it is negativeA new study by the Ukraine Crisis Media Center says that between July1, 2014, and December 31, 1917, a third of all news stories on the three major Moscow television stations was devoted to Ukraine and that “more than 90 percent” of these stories were negative.

The study finds this Russian news followed six major narratives. In descending order of importance, these are:

“In Ukraine a civil war is going on,”“Ukraine is not an independent state,”“The Russian Federation is helping the Donbas,”“Russophobia is widespread in Ukraine,”“Fascists and radicals are destroying Ukraine,” and“Ukraine is a puppet of the West.”

SLAVA UKRAYINI ! HEROYAM SLAVA!!!!Слава Украине! Слава героям слава!Слава Україні! Слава героям! translated as: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!!! is a Ukrainian greeting slogan being used now all over Ukraine to signify support for a free independent Ukraine

Back in 2014 when the Russians invaded Ukraine Russia was able to dominate the news"sources"-- both through more conventional traditional news communications but very importantly through the planting of "fake" blatant lies through the troll factories and the promotion of these stories.

Many managed to find their way into mainstream media -- who were either too lazy or ignorant to understand how they were being used . It caused great confusion in Ukraine -- and particularly around the world as it struggled to understand what was going on in Ukraine & Crimea .

Subsequently -- we have all seen( & are seeing) what an impact the same Russian strategies can have on both internal politics and on the international stage.

The article is self explanatory--"The onus now is on Ukraine to continue defending itself on the information battlefield. Ukrainian officials and activists must use the appearance of Russian propaganda tropes in the international media as an opportunity to inform and educate. Ukraine’s international ambiguity left it uniquely vulnerable in 2014 to Russian information warfare, but there is no longer any excuse for allowing Moscow to maintain its monopoly of the conversation."

Why Is the International Media Still Repeating Kremlin Propaganda about Ukraine?

When two members of Croatia’s World Cup squad recorded a nine-second video dedicating their quarter final victory over Russia to Ukraine, they chose to accompany it with the patriotic slogan “Slava Ukraini” (“Glory to Ukraine”). As former Dynamo Kyiv players, they appear to have believed they were sending a somewhat cheeky but essentially harmless message to their Ukrainian friends. However, to millions of horrified viewers in Russia, there was nothing innocent about the video. To them, it was a dire insult to national honor straight out of the Nazi era.

This historically illiterate interpretation of the phrase “Glory to Ukraine” is perfectly in line with modern Russia’s preference for viewing all things Ukrainian through the narrow and distorting prism of Ukraine’s World War II-era independence movement. According to this warped logic, “Glory to Ukraine” is a fascist phrase because it enjoyed prominence among Ukraine’s World War II insurgent army, a force which briefly formed a strategic alliance with the invading Germans before fighting against both Nazis and Soviets for the remainder of the war.

These insurgents have long been the poster boys of a Kremlin campaign to justify the invasions of Crimea and eastern Ukraine by painting all Ukrainian patriots as the collective reincarnation of Hitler’s hordes. Indeed, since Soviet times, the preferred propaganda response to the Ukrainian independence movement has always been to brand Ukrainian patriots as fascists, with “Glory to Ukraine” as their version of “Heil Hitler.”

This depiction was never historically accurate, but the evolution of the phrase in recent years has rendered it absurd. Far from being a product of World War II, the origins of “Glory to Ukraine” are traceable to long before the 1940s. The phrase has its roots in Ukraine’s early twentieth century national liberation movement and was enthusiastically embraced by various different military formations during the failed statehood bid that saw a number of short-lived Ukrainian republics emerge in the chaotic aftermath of the Bolshevik Revolution. It has remained in common usage ever since, gaining in popularity during particularly intensive periods of Ukraine’s nation-building story such as the perestroika years and the 2013-14 Revolution of Dignity. Today, “Glory to Ukraine” is a wholly unremarkable patriotic refrain used by everyone from national politicians and celebrities to visiting dignities and diplomats. In this sense, it is comparable to “Vive la France” or “God Bless America.”

SLAVA UKRAYINI ! HEROYAM SLAVA!!!!Слава Украине! Слава героям слава!Слава Україні! Слава героям! translated as: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!!! is a Ukrainian greeting slogan being used now all over Ukraine to signify support for a free independent Ukraine

JayH, While I am uncertain which rules Moby is referring to I suspect he is correct and you should now this from Rules 2 & 69.1 in our sport.

Av -- needless to say Moby is as clueless as ever .

Ahh Rules - well -- Russia the lawless kleptocracy ruled by systemised cheating and total disrespect for laws -let alone rules !The while exercise of the Russian World Cup was a 100% propaganda --Russian propaganda ! So any idea that it was not political is just a nonsense.The response to the Croatians video -- proves it beyond any doubt

"“Sports are not connected to politics” – a very old fallacy dating back to the antiquity. Since Athens and Sparta had to suspend the never-ending war to hold the Olympics, sports and politics have gone hand in hand. In the 21st century they are as close as ever. So, if Russia is not at a hybrid war with Ukraine, why should the “Glory to Ukraine” be regarded as offensive to the “Russian public” and why would it necessitate formal apologies and exemplary disciplinary actions from both FIFA and HNS? Apparently both FIFA and HNS are well aware of the “regional particularities” and of the political undertones of the “Glory to Ukraine” slogan given the context of the time and place where it was uttered by two Croatians."

“Glory to Ukraine” – Croatian football players’ video and FIFA’s reaction provoke a powerful online response and bust a few myths

Russian propaganda narratives and popular western myths

“Russians and Ukrainians are brotherly nations” – a phrase Putin never tires to repeat. However, the sour reaction of the general Russian public to the full Ukrainian equivalent of the “Vive la France!” slogan shows that Russian society is rife with anti-Ukrainian sentiment and imperialist chauvinism.

“Putin is the problem, Russians are OK” – a mantra embraced by many liberal politicians and journalists in the West. However, the public reaction towards Vida and Vukojević as well as Croatians as a nation shows that the mass aggression in Russia could be easily manipulated and channeled in the desired direction. State media are fuelling a mobilization mentality upholding the feeling that Russia is “besieged with enemies”, and these narratives fall on a fertile ground. Apparently the conflict of the collective West with Russia is on a much deeper level of values and ideology, rather than just politics.

SLAVA UKRAYINI ! HEROYAM SLAVA!!!!Слава Украине! Слава героям слава!Слава Україні! Слава героям! translated as: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!!! is a Ukrainian greeting slogan being used now all over Ukraine to signify support for a free independent Ukraine

In the universe of Russian propaganda, Russia is an ideal state of sorts. International criticism of any Russian actions or misbehaviors is often labeled as Russophobic by the Russian officials, or, on lower levels of the Kremlin propaganda machine, by state-run media or even experts on the talk shows they host.“Russophobia” is a manipulative defensive line, often used by Russian propaganda to reduce any criticism of the Russian state to an irrational intolerance towards the Russian people.

Here is published a piece by EU’s disinformation watchdog on propaganda usage of the clams of Russophobia.

“Russophobia” as a Russian propaganda tool

These viewpoints are not new; they have repeatedly been pushed by Russian authorities and the media they control.

The cornerstones of this narrative are that international criticism of the Kremlin’s disinformation campaign is grounded in “Russophobia“; that RT and Sputnik are like other media, which strive to present a variety of viewpoints; and that it is Western countries that limit media freedom, not Russia.“Russophobia”When international criticism of the Kremlin’s policies and actions is described as “Russophobia,” it reduces this criticism to an irrational form of intolerance towards Russians.

The “Russophobia” accusations became a standard defensive line for the Kremlin after Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014 and is now a universal explanatory model. It is convenient because the dismissal does not imply any real discussion of the circumstances that are being criticized.

Claims of “Russophobia” have recently been used as a defence against Western reactions to the Salisbury poisoning. Sometimes “Russophobia” is even presented as the very source of Russia’s worsened relations with the West.

“Russophobia” appears as a keyword more than 80 times among the cases gathered in our database of pro-Kremlin disinformation.

SLAVA UKRAYINI ! HEROYAM SLAVA!!!!Слава Украине! Слава героям слава!Слава Україні! Слава героям! translated as: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!!! is a Ukrainian greeting slogan being used now all over Ukraine to signify support for a free independent Ukraine

if you REALLY want your cut and pastes to taken seriously - it would be good form to admit your howlers ..

In the meantime this 'russophobe' thoroughly enjoys his 'status' amongst useful idiots

Logged

SLAVA UKRAYINI ! HEROYAM SLAVA!!!!Слава Украине! Слава героям слава!Слава Україні! Слава героям! translated as: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!!! is a Ukrainian greeting slogan being used now all over Ukraine to signify support for a free independent Ukraine